Each Sunday, John Martin leads a ride out of Granville from in front of the River Road Coffee Shop. If you would like to receive a head's up of each week's route and departure time, "like" the "Granville Grupetto" Facebook page. There is a broad range of fitness levels and the top amateurs who show up tend to ease up since they probably rode hard the day before. Ken Budell, for example, did 106 on Saturday so he was happy to chill as too did Jon, Marty, Steve Fields, etc... Of course, the climbs are rightly a different matter and there was a show-down or two along the route, including Reynolds Road.

Jon and Gus examine a loose bike bag problem.

John explains the 54 mile route to the 22 in attendance, including Flyin Tuna, a first timer. Many other notables there, Gus & Peggy Cook, John Sada and quite a few members of the COOT tri group.

Our train heads out at noon (start times get earlier as weather warms) into the sun with low 60 temps. All is well until we go east on Dry Creek Road. That section between 661 and Burg is a disaster. If you pointed out all the pot holes your hands would never be on the handlebar. Just as we reached the final descent to 661, shouts from the rear announced....

...one of us had gone down. Mike Butsko, above receiving some help from Peggy Cook. Actually, there were nurses, doctors and a dentist in our group so the diagnosis was quick but not confirmed without farther examination, probably the clavicle. The front wheel was twisted and the fork broken. We speculated the front wheel jarred loose and then the fork impacted the pavement. With the siren of the emergency vehicle heard in the distance, a few stayed behind while the rest of us resumed, beginning with a climb up Chattham Road where we....

....paused to regroup and marveled at Marty's "Laces". A shoe development to which, naturally, I was oblivious. One of my mentors, Issac, later educated me to the development and Marty confirmed they are more comfortable and better fitting than conventional cycling shoes.

After reaching Reynolds, it appeared (well no, actually I was too distant to see anything but am told) Ken just nipped Jon at the top. We paused in Utica where Ken treated those in line behind him with drinks and snacks. I marveled at my self restraint when I did not scurry to the beer aisle to see if I could include more. We headed west via Homer Road where I saw something that warmed my heart. Flyin Tuna had loaned John Sada a dollar so he could buy a banana in Utica. Each, of the many times, Cindy fell back during our return, John was there to give her a shove forward. So nice. Lastly, above, nearing the end of the ride, I had to take a pic of Bobby, keeping pace the entire route on a mountain bike. Wow.